Coping Mechanism
by Freedom Rose
Summary: Mike had seen too much on his job and finds solution in alcohol- hoping to forget his case, until Briggs comes by...
1. Chapter 1

Hello Guys,

this is my first Graceland story and I hope you like it. It is basically about some Mike and briggs fluff, because in some episodes I am really missing the comfort for Mikey. I really have to thank Sophie Capulet for finding an accurate title :)))

I do NOT own anything. All rights belong to the producers- not me!

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Mike sat at the bar and ordered his sixth drink that evening. He didn't recognize that burning taste of the Jagermeister anymore. He just drank it away like it wouldn't bother his tongue and chest. He just welcomed the warmth that brought it with, the first comforting feeling he had for the past few days. Mike never thought that he would be like one of the guys who spent their evenings and nights at a bar, drinking themselves in sorrow and pity their lives. But right now it was the only consolation he got. He didn't want to talk to Charlie, hell or even to Johnny or Paige, and definitive not to Briggs. He just wanted to sit there and try to forget for ONCE the big shit of what happened in his life. And Jagermeister and Tequila were a very good option.

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"Charlie! Let it be!" "No Paul! You can't tell me that you are not worried about him and his behavior lately!"

"He is an adult. He is capable of taking care of himself. He is an agent." "It doesn't change the fact of what he had to go through the last past days! God he saw a man shot himself in front of him and then the thing of what happened in that drug hole! You can't tell me that everything bounds off him just like that!"

"Charlie I tell you what. Give him a few days of rest and then he will be good." "It is half past three am and he is still not here Paul. It doesn't look like he would be fine with just himself at all!" "He will be by his girl. You know…how is she called? Babs..Andy…?" Brigg shrugged his shoulders and wanted to go upstairs, leaving Charlie standing in the living room.

"She is called Abby and she broke up with Mike just two days ago." Paige went into the living area, just coming back from her case. She was dressed like a prostitute but wears a significant smile on her lips, which told Charlie that her case finally went well. She was relived; she hated it if Paige had to make such undercover missions on her own.

"Oh that sucks of course. Poor kid." Briggs was about to going upstairs as he felt how someone held him back. It was of course Charlie.

"That is all you have to say about?" Briggs shook his shoulder. "It there anything else I should say?" "PAUL BRIGGS!"

"What Charlie? What do you want to do? Mike is a grown up. Maybe he wants a little bit of space?" "But what is if he dragged himself into danger? What is if Bello's men caught him? Some sympathizer of Eddie?" "Charls…he can take care of himself."

"But it is not usually for him. Not for Mikey. He doesn't answer his phone. Something is seriously wrong!" Briggs sighed deeply. He knew that he already fought on a lost position. Charlie was right. Something was wrong with the kid. It was not like Mike to disobey Briggs in a job and to ignore his buzzing phone for hours. And he couldn't help but was worried about the kid. And was his job not to protect his charges? He sighed again and turned around.

"I will go look for him. But stop calling him all the time. Maybe he just wants to have some peace." He walked past Charlie, gave her shoulder a short squeeze, winked at Paige, grabbed his car keys and leather jacket and went out of the door to get his latest charge back home.

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I try to update as soon as possible. Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas I should write about or mention in the story.

By everyone


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone!**

**Thank you all SO much for this amazing feedback! It inspired me to update today!**

**I have to warn you that in this chapter there will be a bit of a bad language and violence. It is not rated T for nothing, so if you don't want to read this…well…you should skip the chapter or just read the last passage. I hope you will like it.**

**And thanks again! :D**

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Mike tried to oppress his growing nausea and his dizziness, but the numbing feeling he had now after his twelfth tequila persuaded him to go further. Soon he recognized that beer wasn't good enough anymore and he tried to numb him with much harder things, although he didn't like them at all. But they never lost their impact- and that was all he cared about.

"Kid don't you think you already had enough?" The bartender looked at him, frowning and obviously worried about the drunken man, sitting in front of him. "Nope.." Mike slurred and took the bottle of Tequila and filled his little glass himself.

"Kid, look at you. You can't even stand on your own anymore. Are you sure that I shouldn't call anyone?" The kid shook his head. "I've told you already!" His voice was slurred and he couldn't focus his gaze anymore. He wanted to look angry at the bartender to remind him, that he, as long as he was a paying customer, didn't need to give him any accountability. But he couldn't. So he minded his drink and shot it away with one gulp, reaching for the bottle again. The bartender shook his head and swore himself that he would keep an eye on the kid.

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Briggs cursed under his breath. _Where the hell was the kid? _Mike wasn't in 'Havanna', the bar they usually went. He wasn't at the other saloons next to it either. Briggs was now walking along the beach, hoping he would find his charge at the bonfire, but the place was empty and there were no signs that someone was using the fireplace tonight. "God Mikey I swear I will kill you when I have to look for you the whole night!", he murmured and tried to call the kid again. But like always his mailbox went on. "Dammit!"

* * *

"Maybe you should answer your phone?" The bartender leant over the counter, frowning deeply at his now very drunken customer. "Maybe..Mayb…you should take care…of your own..businessss." Mike stood up, or tried to stand up, but he couldn't hold himself any longer on his feet and stumbled into another man, standing next to him. Unfortunately he spit his drink at the man. "Sorrry." The man turned around and Mike recognized even in his drunken state, that the man wasn't someone he would try to start a fight with even in a sober moment. He had a similar statue like Briggs, but Mike could swear that he was at least a half head taller. He seemed to be also very drunk, because he looked down at Mike and glared.

"Have you been the person who spilled his drink on my jacket?" "I thought it was…clear. I apolo..apologized."

"Are you crazy you little piece of shit?!" "Woah men, calm down. Things happened. You can wash it off." "Take your dirty hands of me you little prick!"

"Guys calm down!" The bartender looked nervous at the fighting couple. It was clear that the big guy would be able to stamp the kid on the ground in just a few seconds. "Calm down, or I throw you out! Both of you!" "Men, stay the fuck calm! It was an acci…accident!"

"I show you what is an accident!" The first fist surprised Mike. His head swung on his left side, he felt how warm blood came out of his nose. He wiped it away and looked back at the man. "Fuck you!" And the next thing the bartender saw was how both men rushed on each other and beat the hell out of each other.

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Briggs had pounded one bar after the other, but he couldn't find Mike. He didn't try to hide his worry and slightly anger anymore. _Where was the kid? _He couldn't go off without a trace. He has to be there. His biggest fear was that Mike had done something stupid, like going back to Bello on his own, without informing him and a SWAT-Team ready to help him when things get too dangerous around him. He hoped and prayed that he wouldn't have been this stupid.

* * *

The fight was a bloody mess. The fighting men went over chairs and tables, trying to hurt each other as much as possible, without any regrets at all. They broke two tables and the whole ground was covered in glasses and alcohol. Even the other guests weren't able to separate them, because actually no one wanted to be in the middle of it, catching himself a beat with the fist.

At first it looked like Mike would be at a disadvantage because the other guy was almost a head taller than he was, but as he had been hold in a headlock, finally something he had learned in Quantico, kicked in and he was able to bring the man down. But his luck didn't go on for a very long time, because in the next second the guy, laying on the sticky ground now, kicked at his ankle, bringing Mike also to the ground. He cut his hands by falling into pieces of finest glass.

"You bastard!" And before Mike could do anything else, the slugger kicked his foot in his face. Mike, now very dazed with the force of the kick and the dizziness, found himself pulled up and instinctive he tried to block his chest with his arms, but it was already too late. The hitter kicked his knee again and again in his abdomen and chest. He literally felt how a few ribs broke and how he couldn't breathe anymore. He tried so hard to get the control back but it seemed to be impossible. The alcohol in his blood didn't make it easier for him either.

As his knees gave under his weight away he thought he would be lost and right now he wished with all his heart that Charlie or Johnny or even Jakes and Briggs would be there. But they weren't. He was alone and he had to make the best of it. Mike tried to push the pain away, but it was almost impossible. He couldn't focus anymore and the pain tried to consume him just like the swooshing noised in his ears. _What a shame, to be kicked down as a FBI agent- what Briggs would say…_But somehow he found strength in this thought. He didn't want to be kicked down, not like this.

He opened his eyes again and reached out for the broken beer-bottle and with all his remaining power he throw the bottle back and as he heard a satisfying clunk and hissing in pain he knew that he scored a hit.

He turned around and saw how the hitter held his head, where an ugly wound was to see. And before he could attack him again, Mike struck out and beat the man down, kicked him unconsciousness. He breathed hard, looking down at the man in front of him, who groaned slightly in pain, but Mike knew that he wouldn't stand up again. Not in this night. With all might he recognized the stabbing pain in his head and as he pulled his hand back from his temple he saw that it was red. He groaned in pain. He couldn't hear the shout around him, didn't saw the angry face of the bartender, and couldn't hear his voice. As he was griped at his shoulder and was jolted he came back to reality.

"Are you crazy?! What did you do? You foolish arse! You ruined my bar!" The bartender wanted to get him out of his bar, before the still shocked friends of the hitter would turn towards Mike.

Mike tried to get his hands away, but the bartender kept his iron grip and pulled him through the door. "Get out of my bar or I swear that I will make you regret that you were born!" "Get your hands off me!" Mike wanted to push the hands away, but he didn't found the needed strength anymore. "Shut your mouth! Hands off my bar or I will cut them off the next time you dare to get a food across the door!"

Something in Mike snapped. His anger wasn't directed at the bartender, but his word choice make Mike see red and he pushed the barkeeper against the wall. "Listen to me you motherfucker! Stop telling me what I should do! Stop bossing me around, and if you ever try to come near me again, I will kill you! You got that?!"

In his mind it wasn't the bartender anymore, it was Bello, the man who managed to destroy his inner peace in just a few moments. Who was the one, why Mike couldn't sleep at night, who was in constant pain and fear for the last few weeks! It was his face, behind Eddie's, who heisted his sleep, who almost made him go insane. It was so very difficult to handle all the terror and death he saw at his work. He never found peace. He never could be himself, and he was in constant attention, that no one would ever recognize that he was actually a spy.

At some points he hated Briggs for his calm, determined kind that he was so very bossy and at some points Mike wanted to go to Briggs and tell him everything. That he was sent to investigate Briggs. That he was a rat and that he never wanted to jeopardize his supervicor's career at all. And that he couldn't sleep, that at some points he wanted to cancel the whole investigation and never wanted to see Bello again, that his fear almost killed him when he got another text message from him to come up immediately, that the faces of the killed women in the drughole and the face of Eddie haunted him in his sleep and in the dark hours of the evening. But how could he without looking weak in front of his idol, in front of the whole house?

Mike was startled as he felt how someone managed to manhandle him down on the ground. As his arms were pulled back he recognized the familiar movement. His hands were handcuffed and someone gave him his rights. Someone had called the police.

* * *

Briggs went out of the ninth bar he went in, hoping that he would finally find Mike. He looked at his watch and cursed as he saw that is was almost four o'clock in the morning- and still he didn't have any trace of Mike. He was about to call Charlie to report the missing as his phone buzzed. As he answered he listened to a foreign voice. "Paul Briggs?" "Who wants to know?" "Officer Trooper here. I need to inform you that we arrested a young man called Michael Aaron Warren. As we checked his phone we saw your number in the important contact category first. Do you know him Sir?" There was a deathly silence at the end of the phone, before Briggs answered. "Yes…I do."

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**So… I hope you liked it and that Mike's tantrum was realistic. If you have any wishes or ideas of Briggs' reaction of Mike being arrested just write a comment :) I love to read them !**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello Guys,**

**I want to thank you soooooo much, for your lovely reviews and for all the followers! It pushed me to update as soon as possible and here it comes:**

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Mike never felt so awful in his life before. He was sure he would be sick soon enough, but he didn't want to give himself the shame of going to be sick in the toilet of the little drunk tank he was stuck into. The he would ever end here! He never thought that.

'_Oh God what Briggs will do to me?!'_ At this point in his life Mike was sure that Briggs would kill him. He never screwed up so badly before, but the worst thing would be his disappointment in his eyes. He would never be able to see him in the eyes again. That's for sure! The thought was worse than the fearing consequences of what his action would to his building career. Will he be fired? Would his stupid stunt cost his job? He groaned at the thought of leaving Graceland and in his already painfully and weakened state the thought of losing Johnny, Charlie and Paige was even worse. He would even miss the grumpy Jakes and of course his big idol called Briggs: The very Briggs who would surely kick his ass.

He felt a familiar sting in his eyes and closed them so that any tears would fall. He wouldn't let his last pieces of self-respect crumble down. So he tried to act up, to ignore the stabbing pain in his side and to arm himself for the upcoming storm.

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Briggs took a deep breath before he entered the local police station. He was used to get one of his agent's out of it, when they were ordered in place and it was a part of their undercover mission, but not because one of his agents got drunk. He never thought that this would happen and IF than he thought it would be a stunt of Johnny or Jakes but not of Mike. Not the kid who was always so very polite and clean. Who arrived in sunny California without any pairs of shorts and Flip-Flops: The kid who almost broke his own record.

That Briggs has to get Mike from a drunk tank! He opened the door with a push and went straight to the counter to the next police officer. He pulled out his FBI-ID and held it up. "Agent Briggs, I am here to get one of my agents out!" "Which agent do you mean?" Briggs sighed annoyed. "FBI agent Michael Warren!" "So he is an FBI agent for real?" "What is that supposed to mean?" "Well, he claimed to be an agent, but as I checked his pockets, I couldn't find an ID. And as drunk as he is…" If Briggs could get any more pissed at Mike and if he could, he would have gone straight this cell to beat him. For a short second he thought of just leaving him, just letting him sitting in his cell. But he couldn't do that and not only had the thought an angry Charlie disposed him to do so.

It was one of the first priority for an agent to get keep the ID with him. Just for cases like that. How could Warren be so stupid? Briggs leaned closer to the officer. "Listen! I am FBI agent Paul Briggs, I am his supervisor and you will let me go to him. Immediately!" "I am sorry, but Michael Warren can't identify himself. We have to wait until the prosecutor arrives." Briggs wanted to answer something but a voice let both men turned around. "Paul? Paul is that you?" Briggs looked at the officer. She was a middle-aged woman, who smiled warmly at him. Her name was Claire and Briggs had worked with her together on another drug-case years ago.

"Hello Claire." "What are you doing here?" "I am here to get one of my agents back." As she looked puzzled he added the name. "Oh the poor drunken kid?" Briggs stared at her. "He is one of yours?" "Yeah. Unfortunately." She laughed. "Come I will bring you to him. Though I must warn you, he got pretty beat up." She lay her hand softly on Briggs' shoulder and guided him to the inner core of the police station. "But we have to wait until the prosecutor comes!" The officer stood up and looked indignant at the two persons. "Colby shut up. I will handle it from here!"

"What did he do Claire?" She sighed. "Well he was pretty drunk, still is, and got into a bar fight. Luckily for him he didn't start it, but either way, he hit back and got into a fight with the man. Before he knocked him out, he got pretty shaken up though. Poor kid."

Briggs bristled with anger. "Paul before you go and rip off his head, you should know that he got really hurt." "Good. So I don't have to do it anymore." "Briggs! We sent a doctor to him, but he refused any medical advice. We didn't want to stress him out more and since his wounds aren't life threatening, we left it by that. But you definitive have to have a look at him."

"He won't die from a little pain." Claire stopped and turned around. "I know you are pissed at him…" "I have every right to be!" "…But it doesn't change the fact that he is hurt and needs proper treatment." "He will get 'proper treatment' from me. Don't worry." Claire sighed and stopped on front of the next cell. "Play nice Paul!" She got out his keys and opened the door.

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Mike didn't dare to look up as the door was opened. He knew instantly that those pairs of boots, which he saw under his fringe, belong to Briggs. He wished that he would die right now. Right now. He wished that the building would crumble down and would bury him eight feet underground, but nothing happened. Everything stayed at his place.

"Well, it claimed to be that you are really an agent Mister Warren. As for this you may go now. Your supervisor has been informed and will bring you home now." Officer Claire smiled at him, but Mike could only nod. _'Home'. _It never fits any less in Mike's opinion. Graceland wasn't his home, at least not his. It never was.

Briggs hadn't said anything yet. He looked at Mike and winced inwardly. The kid looked really beaten up. As far as he could recognize under the small light Mike got a nasty bruise on his left cheekbone and a lightly black eye. At his right temple he was holding a towel but it was clear that it must have bleed damn well, because the cloth stuck with blood. He held his side with his other hand and Briggs was sure that he had broken a few ribs. Oh hell he knew how much that hurts.

But he stopped feeling any kind of sympathy for the kid. It was his fault. As an FBI agent he had to know better than this. Mike tried to take a deep breath, but he stopped as soon as his side exploded in pain. So he stood up, but knew that his knees would give under his weight away and as he tried to make the first step in direction towards Briggs he faltered and would have fallen to the ground if Clair wouldn't have took his arm. Briggs didn't make any mention of helping him.

Mike could only feel his angry, disappointed gaze on him. He would never find the courage to look him in the eye again! He automatically cringed as he heard Brigg's voice, which sounded normal but had an icy undertone, clear to hear: "Could you give me the number of the prosecutor? I will tell him that I got him out of this." "Nah, don't worry Paul. I've got this. The prosecutor doesn't need to know about this." "But the other officer.." "He will stay silent. I will make sure of it." "Thank you Claire."

Mike's guilty conscience pulled him down even more. "Thank you," he murmured, didn't dare to look up. As he passed Briggs Mike felt a hand on his shoulder, which wasn't so gentle like Claire's. The grip was like iron and felt not comfortable at all. As they passed the counter he got his personal things back and Briggs guided him out of the police station. The night was already fading and light blue stripes were on the horizon to see. The air was a bit chilly, it wouldn't be a warm day today, it would be a rainy, chilly day but Mike couldn't care less. As the door of the police station was closed and they were standing outside Mike froze as he heard Briggs cold, and very angry voice: "What were you thinking?"

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**Poor Mikey :(**

**Briggs won't be pleased with his stunt. The next chapter may be harder to write so it could take longer, but I try to update as soon as possible. Thanks for reading and please write a comment. Bye everyone**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hell****o Guys,**

**You don't know how happy I am about your AWESOME feedback and a huge thank you to all the followers! I never thought that this would happen! So please enjoy :D**

"What were you thinking?" Mike looked down. Why couldn't someone or something knock him out? Briggs stormed forwards and grabbed his shoulders. Automatically Mike flinched back and looked down again.

"What the hell Mike! Tell me what were you thinking?" He jolted him but Mike could never answer that question because he didn't know why he did it. That means he knew exactly why he did it, but he would never talk with Briggs about it. He wouldn't talk to no one about it. "I don't know.", he murmured. Obviously it wasn't the answer Briggs wanted to hear.

"You don't know? You don't know?! What the hell Mike! Do you know what all could have happened? Do you know what trouble you made?" "I am sorry!"

"No you are not! You are sorry that you got caught man." "No Briggs I am really sorry. Look man there…" But Mike couldn't find the words to describe his inner turmoil, to describe them to Briggs.

"Don't give me that crap Warren! If you don't want to tell me what's going on and what it is all about its fine, because honestly I don't want to hear another word of you!" Briggs strod away from him. As they reached the car around the corner Mike wanted to go to it, but Briggs just walked further in the direction of the beach. "Don't you dare to think that I would drive your drunken ass home! I won't let you throw into my car." "I never would." "Whatever Warren." Briggs went on and left Mike behind. "I never would." He heard his supervisor snorting and started to follow him.

Briggs move forwards but tried to walk not so fast. He had seen the external experience of his charge and didn't want to push the kid too far. He shot some glances at him frequently, but Mike didn't make any sound. He just looked down and was holding his side, trying to be strong in front of Briggs. _That stupid kid!_

As they reached the beach he recognized that Mikes went slower and slower within any passing minute and he conformed his speed. Mike still hadn't said anything but got paler with every elapsed moment. As Briggs heard a loud thud he stopped and turned around. Mike's knees had been giving away under his weight and he was kneeling in the sand now. He was holding his side but looked down at his knees, but Briggs could see that his face was scrunched in pain. He made his way slowly back to his charge.

"Mike get up! Get up!" He wanted to pull him up but as Mike groaned in pain he kneeled down next to him. "Mike I want to go back to Graceland now. Hell, you need to go back to Graceland now."

Mike wanted to say something, but couldn't find any words because he felt so miserable and in pain that he stayed kneeling on the sand, holding his side, trying not to cry in front of Briggs. "Mike is it your side man?" The kid nodded and tried with all his remaining power not to throw up in front of his supervisor. But Briggs saw it nevertheless. He was used to it, since living in Graceland with Johnny, Jakes and Charlie.

"Are you going to be sick Mike?" He shook his head, which was a very bad idea because a new intense wave of pain rushed through his whole body, made him almost blind and deaf. "Mike if you need to puke then let it out! Hell I want to go home; you need a proper bed man!"

Mike tried to get up again, tried to ignore the sickness but he sagged down instantly and started to retch. First nothing came out but then everything, all the alcohol, found their way out. The pain swelled to a never ending state and Mike couldn't help but let his tears fall down. He couldn't stop retching and couldn't hear or see anything as the pain in his side and head flared up through his body. He never felt so miserable before.

Briggs moved closer, if he wouldn't have taken an arm around Mike to hold him up, he would have sink into the sand like a lifeless marionette. He felt Mike shaking and saw his cramped hands, holding his side. He could only imagine in what intense pain Mike was right now, and although Mike never crumbled down in front of him before, he knew automatically what to do. He did exactly the same thing he would have done for Charlie, for Paige, for Johnny, for Jakes for all of his charges. He held the kid upwards and tried to comfort him, with running a hand carefully up and down at his back, soothing him with comforting words. His anger was still there, hell it was, but now was not the right time to discuss it. He had already had an intention of what it would be, but he wanted to hear it from the kid himself.

"I am sorry." Mike looked at him. "It is alright Mikey. It happened to all of us." "But not in front of you..", he murmured with a hoarse voice. Briggs laughed silently. "I've seen worse before." "I am sorry." Mike looked years younger, with his ruffled hair, which stuck now at his sweaty forehead. "Sh, sh. It is alright kid." He ruffled very carefully through his hair. "But I have to clean it up!" Briggs couldn't help but laughed. "Mike it is damn sand! Here!"

He took a handful of sand and covered it up, so it was not to be seen. "And now come one. You need a proper bed kid." Mike murmured something else, but Briggs had to lean closer to hear him. "I am sorry…for everything." Briggs looked at him and took in his miserable appearance, and then he squeezed his shoulder shortly. "Don't worry. We will figure something out Mikey."

**I hope you liked it; the big talk will come later. I thought it wouldn't fit now, not when Mike can't really defend himself. If you want to have more whump for poor Mike, I will update within the next days. Please write a review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone,**

**first of all, I am really sorry that I couldn't write sooner but my last weeks were quite exhausting...Whatever now I found the time to wrote to you guys so here it is, I hope you like it:**

Briggs swore he had never been so glad that he lived in this glamorous house directly at the beech. He practically dragged and carried Mike back to their house, because the kid had no power anymore to walk on his own. He was far too out and too much in pain to think straight. He didn't say anything and Briggs worry grew from minute to minute. He needed medical attention and that NOW.

As he looked down he saw that Mike had his eyes closed, his face was scrunched in pain. "Hey Mike..Mikey can ya hear me?" Mike only grunted. "How ya doing?" Mike ignored him and tried with all his heart not to puke and and not to fall unconscious. Briggs could swear that he hear another silent apologize from him. He frowned. Why did the kid apologize so much? He fucked up but they would handle it. It was almost like Mike would be afraid of him...

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As Briggs enter the house, he didn't know how he was able to manage the stars with Mikey but he was kind of proud of himself, Charlie rushed to him. "Briggs what the hell happened?!" "He got a little roughed up." "A little roughed up? Paul he is almost unconsciousness. We need to call an ambulance!" "No..I...good.." They could barely hear him.

Briggs managed with the help of Johnny and Charlie to settle him down on the couch, while Paige got the first aid kit, even Jakes stood up from his kitchen chair and joined them, with a slightly frown on his forehead. "What happened Pauly?" Charlie repeated.

"He got beat up, landed himself in prison." Briggs knelt down in front of his youngest charge. "Hey Mikey-Mike, can you look at us?" The kid looked slowly up, so very confused and in pain that he couldn't focused on anyone.

"Mikey, sweetie, come on! Open your eyes!" Charlie took his face in both hands, but Mike barely looked at her. "Briggs, are you sure that he doesn't need an ambulance? His head wound..."

"No." It was the first time that Mike opened his eyes and looked at Charlie. "I am...good...just..sleep."

Charlie frowned and started to look at his laceration. "I can sew the wound Mike." "Here drink some alcohol to ease the pain." "No!" Briggs took the Whiskey bottle from Johnny and put it aside. "You have enough for one night. Charlie give him painkillers, he will need them anyway."

* * *

They all sat together, around Mike and Charlie and looked at them. Briggs stood up and walked the room up and down. He was worried how Mike had laboured with breathing. He had to crack at least some ribs. He knew that the kid would be in serious pain, but otherwise when he was through with him, he would feel lucky to remember Charlie's gentle affection to him know. He was still so very angry, although he tried to oppress his anger right now, it wasn't his turn. He would wait. Oh yeah...he would.

Paige looked almost as worried as Charlie, she gave Charlie the needed supplies and tried not to start to cry. Everyone know that she has a weak point for their latest house member. Johnny squeezed her shoulder with one hand, while he looked almost sad at the ground. Jakes took the Whiskey bottle himself and drank just from it. Briggs knew that he wanted to look as careless as possible, but he knew that deep down he was beside oneself with rage. Even if he would never show, he cared for Mike. He was one of them now. A family member, and he would do everything to protect him. Briggs knew that he could count on him.

Charlie cleaned Mike's wound carefully and put a bandage on it softly. "Here you go kiddo."

As she wanted to open his shirt, Mike pushed her hands away. "Mike I need to have a look at your chest." "It is alright. I ...want to sleep." "Mike..." She stopped as Briggs intervened.

"Let him. He is done with the world. I will bring him upstairs and look at him." Briggs observed Mike the whole time. The kid was almost asleep on the couch and not longer qualified for any kind of conversation. He would just grab him and jockeyed him to bed- without discussion.

* * *

Mike tried not to make any sound as Briggs pulled him up and walked by his side upstairs. Without his help he wouldn't have made it from the couch. He would still be in prison... He felt so ashamed that he didn't look at him at all- he probably never would again. How could he, after everything he did?

Briggs pushed him softly towards the bed and Mike wanted to lay down instantly but his supervisor hold him upwards. "Not so fast here Mike. I need to look at you first."

"There is..no need. I'm fine." "Your definition of fine and my are quite different then. Just drop it.. I am not in mood for a discussion now."

Mike looked down like a scolded schoolboy and let Briggs remove his shirt- which was harder than it looked. He tried not to wince in pain but he couldn't help, while Briggs tried to make it as easy as possible for Mike and not to throw wild punches around him because his anger found a new level, as he saw how Mike's torso looked. He could already see some bruises and they didn't look good.

"Wow Mike. Congratulations you made some good stunts tonight." He lay both hands on his ribcage to feel for cracked ribs. Mike shrank back. "Easy kid. I just need to feel for broken ribs. You have to take a deep breath for me okay kid?"He did as he was told and tried not to let Briggs see his pain, but it was impossible. The pain was like a sharpen knife, which ripped his whose side apart. Again and again. Briggs tried to be as gently as he could, but it was not that easy. Luckily he couldn't find any broken ribs, but three of them were cracked and another five badly bruised.

"Nah Mikey..you will be good in three days." _ Or in a week maybe._ He ruffled his hair shortly and stood up. "Lay down. I will be back shortly."

As Briggs left the room Mike sighed deeply, but frowned as even that hurt like hell. So he tried to lay down and not to be sick again from the pure exhaustion and pain. His bed never felt so comfortable before and he almost instantly fall asleep but suddenly Briggs was by his side.

"Hey not so fast here Mikey. Can sleep later, yeah?" Briggs wrapped another bandage around his torso ad gave him some much needed painkillers. Mike was about to doze off, which he would never do in front of Briggs under normal circumstances. Then he felt something cold at his bruised and cracked ribs. He groaned and moved away, but Briggs hold him in place, took Mike's left hand so that he was able to hold the icepack by himself at his side to ease the pain and swelling.

The kid just looked at Briggs and felt how his eyes became heavy and he drifted off in a few seconds. His grip around his icepack became weaker, but then there was a strong hand around his own who gently squeezed it and pressed it softly back at his place. That was the last thing Mike recognize before everything around him went black.

**So I hope you like that one...Briggs is still quite pissed but right now he first need to take care of Mike. I will update within next week, I promise..!**

**Thanks for reading and please write a review so I can build your ideas in the next chapter.**


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